Prognóstico do cancro do pulmão: Novos factores biológicos e moleculares

Technologic development allowed, during the last decades, the study of many biological markers (DNA content, gene mutation, gene expression patters) with recognised importance in lung cancer development. They were frequently not concordants and sometimes anecdotal. Besides the possible methodological differences and experimental conditions, other explanations could be in place. It was difficult to explain the phenotypic lung cancer changes only caused by alteration in only one pathway. The changes in cell phenotype must be caused by multiple pathway alterations associated with abnormal expression of hundred of genes. The microarrays technology applied to tumors samples has led to identification of the genes that are associated to the phenotypic cell changes. These studies allowed to identify prognostic groups associated with these genetic profiles. The genetic profile could be applied not only for prognosis but for early diagnosis and treatment decision.